Last week poor V had three catheters . not all at once you understand but in sequence . All blockages occurred out of normal hours so I had to phone in the out of hours emergency service . Last Monday they arrived at 10pm , V woke instantly when she realised there was a young male nurse in attendance and smiled disarmingly at him whilst I retired to the kitchen and stared gloomily at the cat who stared gloomily back at me , we didn't talk much . When Alex and the other nurse left V went back to sleep with the hint of a smile on her face and I went grumpily to bed .
The final blockage happened on Sunday morning , I phoned the emergency service and had to go through the whole rigmarole again , date of birth etc etc .They asked was I sure that there was a blockage so I told them when I blew up the tube it didn't shift it . There was a moments silence then they asked me to repeat what I had just said so I did and they said they were sending out their urgent care team immediately so I told them I was kidding . So they then said they would only send one nurse and I would have to assist - got their own back . Still another nursing skill under my belt - or perhaps that isn't the best way of putting it ....considering .
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Georgepa
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In spite of the problems you still can make us laugh as we empathize. I would have liked to see their reaction. I am sorry that you two have to go through all this so many times. Keep up your sense of humor . Hugs.
You had ME going there for a minute! So nice you and the cat are on the same wavelength, anyway. thanks for the laugh - but so sorry you have to go through all this.
Thanks for the smile. Sorry, I know you weren't laughing at the time! I hope they have finally sorted V out now. Honestly, once they have settled, they are the best thing since sliced bread.
One thing though, I would definitely have an Alzheimer's moment about your newly acquired skills. We all have to do enough, without taking on DN's duties. That's why we qualify for CHC, because our loved ones need medical care. You doing their job for them, undermines the whole system!!!
Anyway, why did you need to help, without being graphic? S has only ever had one person putting his in, I know men are slightly different, but surely the principle is the same.
It may have escaped your notice Heady but men and ladies are built quite differently . My highly trained skill was to hold my wife's left leg slightly up and to the left .I have undergone training for this and soon expect to receive my certificate of competence which I shall proudly frame and hang on the wall along with my certificate on how to roll someone clean off the bed .
I'd like to say, it's a long time since I looked, but we all know that's not true. I am up close and personal all the time. Not the positions I signed up for!!!
Can't wait to see your certificates, do you get a NVQ, or whatever, with it?
My certificates are quite splendid written in beautiful copperplate with a border of rosy bottomed cherubs blowing floral trumpets interwoven with bluebells .Really very tasteful don't you think ?
Oh and the second certificate ? Just stand a bit too far back from the bed and think about what you would really like to be doing .
Oh dear, i'm sorry V has had problems but this post and comments has made me smile, the one thing my hubby always says, well now he points, is keep smiling, I just giggled at the image of you and mr cat just sitting and waiting, We have CHC assessment thursday, nursing home not meeting hubby's needs at all, so stressful, sending love and hugs xx
Oh Georgepa, the picture in my mind of you blowing up the tube should be censored. Thanks for the vivid description, I had a lol moment. I think my smile will last a long time.
I did have to laugh at your discription. I would of loved to have seen the call handlers face when you said you blew up the tube.
Georgepa ask them to get a prescription for open ended catheters. They tend not to block. It seems as if they forget to tell people there is a better catheter on the market. They orderd some for Brian because he had 3 blockages in 10 days.
The bladder gets a certain amout of crystals and we normally just pass them out in our urine. But because the catheter has only got 2 small slits for the urine to go through..... the slits get blocked with the debris.
You sometimes get a warning sign if you keep an eye on the tube betwee catheter and day bag if you start to notice that the urine has a white tinge or what looks like small white clumps it means that the catheter has picked up a lot of deposits at that stage you have to keep a close eye.
The open end catheters have just got one big hole rather then 2 small slits. Bit scary when they 1st go in because a lot of the debris comes out in the 1st couple of days.
I'm doing okay (i think). Lots of support from friends and the church. Janexx
Thanks for that ,I will ask but they seem to think this silver catheter will decrease the chance of infection.Apparently she is carrying some bug which does not respond to antibiotics .I have been told to keep flushing her through which is especially difficult when it is difficult to swallow.Anyway I thought thats what you did with radiators .
Georgepa it could be six of one half a dozen of the other. The bug could be breeding in the debris. I wish i could send my urology nurse to you V would love him. And he could give you more imformation that i have picked up in my working life and with all i learnt from Richard. I am the sort of person that wants to know the what and why's of everything. Janexx
Hi, just a thought, have you told the CHC that V now has a catether? This shows progression and the definite need for medical help! (Even with your newly acquired certificates!)
Oh yes and displayed it in all its cloudy glory .I didget through to someone yesterday who told me she believed our assessment was being written up last week ,the nurse involved was out doing more assessments I guess they do them in batches then the verification panel do a whole lot in one go .Who knows they are a law unto themselves .
My mother used to say handsome is as handsome does .She had wealth of sayings some of which I still cant make head nor tail of .Tonight we have a male Marie Curie nurse who V insists on addressing asDr David much to his amusement and she has got that same soppy coy smile on her face eapecially as he arrived when I was bed bathing her and he gave me a hand .Honestly its enough to make you throw up .I have now retired to bed in a huff whilst she fights the affects of sleeping pills.I will lay odds that within the hour she will be calling to have her legs moved .!
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seriously, I have never heard of a silver catheter. Wonder if it's a UK thing? 
Help? 
CHC Funding all day...Ugh
In the hospilal with Bowel blockage 
